Newbie Questions!!! Please Help!!!

[sconstantz]

Hi, I've been lurking around here for awhile and learned a lot. thanks to all!!! I am not a stranger to this concept. I worked for the company that built HH. We are going to disney on May 8 to May 14 and staying at OKW to check it out. We are definat ely interested and trying to sort a few things out.

My question:
Is there any diffence when your use year starts? I have read where some people prefer a particular month over another? But, I can't figure out why that makes a big difference? If you d o prefer a particular use year, can you explain why?

My other question:
We have a 3 year old DS, so we expect to do a lot of disney over the next (hopefully) 20 years, but DH and I have always been BIG beach people. So, we figure we would alternate betw een the world and a beach location, probably HH, but open to VB. If we were to purchase a disney resort, it would probably be OKW (sight unseen, we'll confirm after our trip). We really like to feel like we are away. We don't like the woods. We do lik e golf courses (think HH). And when we get a vacation, we are happy "veging" So, given that *very long* preamble.... would you purchase HH or OKW? It seems to me that OKW is a very large resort, and if we had points at HH we could probably still get a ressie at OKW when we want to go to disney, but it may be harder to get HH ressies in the summer. I can't say for sure which season we would be able to book either location, as life will happen in 40 years (things change...) Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks to everyone!! I have been really impressed at how much you love it and how helpful you are to the "newbies"!!
shelly

p.s. if you had a great guide at disney or a great re-sale person, please give us the name and company. We may try to meet with them when we are there!!

 

[Peggy Sue]

I wish we had been given more information about our use year before we purchased. Our guide told us it didn't matter. However, through experience we have learned that a different use year would have worked better for us.

We have a December use year, which is the time of year we like to travel to WDW. Ideally, we would like to have a June or July use year. You are allowed to cancel a DVC reservation 31 days in advance of arrival. We get our points the beginning of december every year. If we use our 12/2000 points for a late november/early december 2001 trip and circumstances require us to cancel the trip at the 31 day window, we cannot bank our points...however, if our use year had been June we still would have time to bank our points.

OKW / HH -- If you really want to go to HH during the summer, you might want to consider making HH your home resort. I've read numerous posts stating that it is next to impossible to get into HH in the summer without the 11 month window. That said, I had no trouble making a HH reservation for 1 week in September 3 months prior to arrival.

Currently, It appears OKW does have availability at the 7 month window. Don't know about the peak travel seasons like July.

Good luck with your decision and we look forward to welcoming you home!

Have a wonderful day!

 

[travelbug]

Hi, sconstantz! I'll defer to people far more experienced and able to answer your questions. I know you'll get great advice here!

I did want to chime in here, and pass along the name of my guide since you don't have one yet. His name is Kim Moore, and I think he's excellent. Very friendly, quick to return phone calls, extremely knowledgeable, low key, and professional. I recommend him highly.

Best wishes as you pursue your own piece of the magic! ƒ

 

[sconstantz]

I think I understand the use year thing and how it affects you. thanks for posting it, something to think about. If anyone else has any reasons, still love to hear them. and thanks for the recommendation on the guide.
shelly

 

[Caskbill]

Don't forget that OKW is sold out and if you want to purchase there you'll have to go through a resale somewhere. You can still buy HH through Disney.

As you may have seen on these boards, you should always buy where you'll think you will stay the most often. If you'll be pretty evenly split between HH and OKW then HH would probably be your best choice due to the 11-month window as stated, especially if you'd be looking at the busier months at that resort. Although, keep in mind the 7-month window will probably keep you out of the busiest months at OKW, like Christmas.

As far as use year, that's pretty much been stated. It really only comes into effect if you cancel and wind up not being able to bank your points because it's too close to the end of your use year.

Just sit down with a calendar, consider what kind of vacations you want, both when and where, year after year. Your home resort and optimal use year should then become apparent. I don't know what use years are still available at HH, your guide can tell you. As for OKW resales, you'd just have to see what's available.


Caskbill

 

[sconstantz]

I appreciate your insight. You've been very helpful and didn't know it (lurking ).
shelly˜

 

[Dean]

I'm sure you know that HH is not a beach location by any stretch. Sure they have the beache house but it's not the same. If you truly want Beach, consider VB. Otherwise consider another timeshare on HH as well as other alternatives.

Dean

 

[tarzanman]

I would suggest checking out VB if you can. HH is not a beach as previously stated. VB is great. We are staying there again in a few weeks. It is a great place to get away.

Use year so far hasn't mattered much to us because we haven't been faced with the need to cancel any ressies. I am sure that when you have to cancel something last minute that it ticks you off no matter what use month you have.

some trips as a child
DxL 4/00
DVC member 4/00
BWV 9/00, 12/01
VB 9/00, 5/01
DCL 1/01, 12/01-1/02 New Years Cruise
OKW 1/01

http://gennaroworld.topcities.com

 

[spiceycat]

okay if you think you would to stay at both - why not buy at both - through a resale for OKW - and through a resale at HH or buy directly through Disney (only if you can't find the points that you will need). the resaler on this site I have heard wonderful things about. My disney Guide is Judy Kaufman phone number 1-800-827-7163. I think she is wonderful.